


Sunfire: Resurrection

by Peter_Parkoure_451



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014), Big Hero 6: The Series (Cartoon)
Genre: Alive!Tadashi, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Gen, Hope you enjoy, I was legit gonna edit through this thoroughly and then said no, I'm just gonna put it out there, My First Work in This Fandom, Oh, and dude, anyway, dude - Freeform, fixed it, sunfire!Tadashi, that last tag is questionable, this literally sat in my drafts for years
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28621506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peter_Parkoure_451/pseuds/Peter_Parkoure_451
Summary: Krei wants to revitalize Silent Sparrow, Hiro wants a break from university, and Tadashi just wants to not set something on fire. Two years after the accident, both boys find themselves tangled in a web of regrets. Tadashi never came home, and now he's standing bruised and scarred in front of the leader of Big Hero 6.And, Hiro spirals. He never anticipated his brother's legacy becoming tainted.-------Updates every two weeks on Sunday.
Relationships: Baymax & Hiro Hamada & Tadashi Hamada, Cass Hamada & Hiro Hamada, Cass Hamada & Hiro Hamada & Tadashi Hamada, Hiro Hamada & Go Go Tomago, Hiro Hamada & Tadashi Hamada
Comments: 22
Kudos: 31





	1. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all, I just have to post this. It’s been sitting in my drafts for months. I’m not even the target demographic anymore.  
> So, real quick, Big Hero 6 is a beautifully written movie and I admire the screenwriters immensely for bringing something a little darker into the Disneyverse films. But, like, “Tadashi is here,” still makes my heart ache so here’s a sequel-esque fic.  
> I could go on for ages about why BH6 should never be revisited with a second movie. Bringing a character back to life is just That Type of Trope. However, I do think the audience has been scarred in an enormous way and we need some closure. Yes, the movie does resolve this. However, my point is that fanfiction is a great place to make that impossible leap happen.  
> Also, I appreciate feedback. I have absolutely no beta readers. We perish like men. Or, like, Tadashi? Oof. Anyways, enjoy!

For the record, Hiro was doing fine. The piles of research papers and blueprints were morphing into a health hazard, but he had it under control. 

Hiro sat in his wheelie chair, _Tadashi’s old wheelie chair,_ and spun in circles. It was two years after his brother's death. The lack of a soundboard was taking its toll. And really, it wasn’t a matter of being sad or being filled with rage. Hiro was in a mood. 

The piles of paper were part of his finals project. Towers of sketch paper and scribbled down notes loomed over him. Despite the amount of work, Hiro was procrastinating.

SFIT was a great way to stay out of trouble. Finals were quickly making their rounds across campus. Honey Lemon and Wasabi were hard at work studying, Gogo was busy completing her senior project, and Fred was, well, team motivation.

Hiro was finishing an Associate's degree. It would add to his list of accomplishments. _Big deal._ He was mentally preparing for Aunt Cass’ extremely over-the-top celebration that would ultimately be watered down to a movie and dessert. It was everything Tadashi wanted.

Now, Hiro was sitting in his old lab, surrounded by his brother’s old things. 

He ran his fingers through his hair. He was 16 years old and mentally exhausted. 

The anniversary was in two days. The sad, awkward phase should be over by now. Yet the mood lingered. 

Hiro sank in his chair as he tried to ignore upcoming tests and the quiet knock on the glass windowpane.

“G’morning!” Honey Lemon greeted as she pushed the door open with her shoulder. She was carrying a bright pink box of donuts. She still sported the platform heels and bright colors even after finishing her Bachelor’s. Now, she was doing graduate work. There was no way Hiro’s enthusiasm could ever match hers. Deep down, he hoped she would give him some words of encouragement.

“Hey. It’s technically not morning anymore,” he said.

“Well, technically, it’s 11:42 which means it’s still before noon. So, I’ll say it again! Good morning!” Hiro rubbed his eyes to snap him out of his rut. Sure, he hadn’t made any progress since 8 o’clock, but who was keeping track? 

Honey Lemon sent a photo to the group chat, his phone vibrated on the desk. Every message in their forsaken group message board was like a beacon to all of his friends. 

‘Free food in Hiro’s lab,’ flashed on his screen with a photo. Apparently, Honey Lemon was keeping track.

He expected nothing less than a horde of hungry college students inviting themselves inside only to ask him indirect questions about his feelings and whatnot. It was always nice until it wasn’t. This time was nice.

Hiro pushed himself away from his desk. 

“Uh, thanks. Where did you even find donuts this late?”

“Your aunt referred me to the pastry shop down the street,” she said as she grabbed a donut covered in rainbow sprinkles. “Come grab some. You know Fred likes seconds.” 

As soon as Honey Lemon sat down, the door was kicked open. The wall had a black dent mark after weeks of trying to persuade Fred to open doors ‘like a normal person.’ To him, it was for special effects. For everyone else, it was property damage. The wall dented anyway.

Honey Lemon sighed. 

“Morning, familia!” Fred yelled after browsing through the donut box. 

“G’morning,” they greeted as he grabbed two candied, cereal-topped chocolate donuts and plopped down on a desk.

Gogo and Wasabi invited themselves in later. They traded notes as Fred fueled their conversation. General greetings, shoulder punches, and laughs made their way around the room. Hiro separated himself halfway through Fred’s debate about whether heroes were destined to become villains. He sat crossed-legged in his office chair, eyes locked onto nothing in particular as he pretended to reread his notes.

It wasn’t enough to keep Hiro from getting caught overthinking. Wasabi noticed his silence first.

“Hiro?” he asked. 

The wheelie chair creaked as Hiro looked up. The general feel-good group meetup quieted down. They were looking back at him. Hiro shifted in his chair. 

“What?” Hiro asked.

“You doing okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Hiro instantly regretted speaking at all. All eyes fell on him as his brain scrambled to piece together a rebound. A solemn tone swallowed up any fun that was present in the room seconds ago. 

“Well, it’s just that, y’know, it’s that time of year,” Wasabi said. Hiro knew exactly what he meant. Hiro didn’t reply. He was thinking about finals, hero work, Aunt Cass, and keeping up appearances. Or, at least, he was trying to.

His friends were older. And, the lab changed. The air vent was louder than usual. Sunlight didn’t burst through the window like it typically did. Even the floor tile was scratched and chipped in some places.

The lab was drowning in chaos. Hiro imagined Wasabi was nearing his breaking point of needing to reorganize all of his things. The only thing standing out from the mess was Baymax’s red case tucked away neatly by the window.

Fred scooted over and poked Hiro's arm, “Hey little dude, what's bothering you?” 

“What? I’m fine,” Hiro said. “It's just finals.”

"Something tells me it's _more_ than finals."

“It’s just a busy week," he smiled. "I can handle it.”

Gogo stood up. She took her time walking up to Hiro. He scooted back into his wheelie chair.

“How are you holding up?” _She’s talking about school_ , Hiro thought. He looked away. Mentally, he was thanking her for changing the subject. 

“I’m doing okay. I’m just stuck right now. With my thesis, I mean. I’ve been stuck since yesterday, and I can’t find a good angle to look at it. I don’t know, I just need inspiration.” The gang traded glances.

“No,” she said firmly. “How are you holding up?” Hiro’s shoulders sank. _Oh_. She wasn’t asking about finals. He searched her face for sympathy points but couldn’t manage. Her glare was a superpower on its own. At least, she was blunt.

“It’s… it’s rough. But like I said, I can handle it.” Gogo closed the distance between them. She held him by the shoulders before he could change the conversation again.

“Are you sure?” He was holding back a wave of emotions but managed an answer. Hiro nodded. 

“You’re all taking the anniversary a little too serious this year, guys,” Hiro said. "It's not my first time." Honey Lemon laughed. 

“Well, never hurts to check. We miss him too.” Hiro squirmed out of Gogo’s grasp.

“Thanks, guys. It, uh, means a lot.” A million words filled his head with what he could’ve said. Instead, he blurted, “Can we change the subject?”

“To what? That low-level robbery we stopped last week?” Fred asked. Gogo shot him a frown. She had Hiro in a good spot where he was comfortable being vulnerable. Now, he had a way out.

“Absolutely,” Hiro said with a sigh of relief. Crime came in waves.

For the past several weeks, there were no challenges. Hiro still hoped something crazy would happen. The citywide crime rate could increase, some crazy dude in a cloak may show up, or maybe Globby was making rounds once again down 7th avenue, the food truck alley.

Globby would say it was a way of supporting small businesses; giving them some airtime on Channel 9. Instead, Big Hero 6 had little to no reason to stake out. Crime rates dropped. San Fransokyo was peaceful for the past several weeks. There was no reason for bringing out the suits. 

“That was last week’s crime,” Gogo pushed. “We’re talking about this week’s.”

“Not even petty crimes like car-jacks or stealing purses from grandmas?” Fred asked.

“Nope.”

“Not even a word from Krei?” Hiro sat up in his chair.

“Yeah,” he said. “Krei hasn’t called us at all. Not for the past several weeks.”

“That’s because we call him,” Gogo said. “Usually, because it means his life or his company is in danger. I don’t think he wants to participate in high-risk friendships.” Hiro swiveled back to his notes. 

A feud between Gogo and Fred dominated the group’s attention, except for Hiro.

His friends and family were bound to question him throughout the week. And usually, he was doing okay. Yet Fred’s mess-up was perfect. 

Finally, something to do. There was _something_ to take his mind off of Tadashi’s anniversary besides testing. He could run by Krei's.

University was fine. It was just... slacking. It's what Tadashi pushed him to follow. Yet he couldn’t stay in class forever. 

Hiro slouched in his chair and groaned. He wasn’t getting anything done today.

“I’ll see you guys later,” Hiro said as he made his way towards the door.

“Wait!” Honey Lemon called. “You’re not going to stay for lecture?”

“Professor Granville knows about Big Hero 6. I’m sure she’ll understand.”

“Yeah,” Gogo said, “Just like last week she understood oversleeping. Have fun facing her wrath tomorrow morning.”

Hiro smirked as he left his lab. The gang was always sensitive when it came to discussing Tadashi around him. But he was fine, really. Hiro just needed a distraction. 

He raced towards KreiTech’s headquarters.

* * *

Judy recognized him at the front desk. 

“Afternoon Hiro,” she greeted unenthused. 

“Hi,” Hiro waved. “Is, uh, Mr. Krei here?”

“Is it important?”

“If I say ‘yes,’ will you let me see him in his office?” Judy started to walk away. “Oh, come on! You know I don’t show up unless it’s important!” Judy shot him a glare. “Semi-important.”

“He’s free until 1:30. You know where to go.”

“Thank you.” Hiro ran towards the elevator. Krei’s office was a stupid-amount-of-floors high. The elevator ride was grueling as Hiro came up with a gameplan. 

He needed someone to save. Maybe find out whatever public events the CEO planned or if any news came in about low-profile criminals. Anything to get his mind over his annual grief.

“Good morning, Mr. Krei!” Hiro greeted as he gingerly walked into his office.

“Afternoon,” he corrected.

“Right, right. Well, Krei, I was coming to make sure you weren’t in dire need of rescuing. You know, making sure everything is running smoothly?” Krei looked like he hadn't slept in days. His usually clean-cut appearance was frazzled and on edge.

“Thank you, but my team can handle it from here. No lives need saving today. Now, if you don’t mind,” Krei gestured towards the door.

The businessman usually let Hiro stick around until he ordered him to leave. It was too soon to get kicked out.

“Are you okay?” Hiro asked. Krei groaned.

“Nothing a little PR can’t handle. KreiTech is doing fine, Hiro. Thank you for your concern, but it’s not a good time.”

“Well, when is it a good time?”

“Not now. Out.”

“What?! Big Hero 6 hasn’t done anything for two weeks! Are you sure you don’t need help? No extra security or publicity stunts?” Hiro caught sight of the folders littering Krei’s desk. The isometric sketches were too familiar. “What’s that?” he pointed.

Krei blocked his line of vision with his arm, “That’s none of your concern. Now go. Can’t have teenagers wandering around my building.” Hiro was about to protest but was cut off.

Krei’s phone rang.

He answered it absentmindedly. Krei slowly trailed away from his desk and began to pace the room. Hiro edged closer to the blueprints. Scaled drawings of Silent Sparrow’s old design were overwhelmingly modernized. 

_‘Updated Version To Date_ ’ was stamped across the top with the current year in print. 

Hiro swallowed his panic. There was no way Krei was working on his trashed prototype again. Not after Callaghan’s breakdown. Not after having his entire company’s reputation tarnished.

Krei kept pacing the room, talking on the phone. His tiredness morphed into frustration.

“Well, I don’t care if it goes against regulation," he said. "We need to ensure… Of course, I know it can taint our image. That’s why we’re doing this!”

Hiro shoved the blueprints into his jacket and backpack. He wouldn’t miss anything backup files could replace. He smiled as he waved goodbye to Krei, who barely noticed him leave. 

Krei was more secretive than usual. Keeping things under the table was never good news. Yet Hiro cheered in silence. He had something better to focus on than finals. No testing, no showcases, and no being dragged down by misery. 

Hiro raced home.

_He just needed to think about something else._ _Anything else._ His SFIT thesis was due in a few days. Maybe he could skip out on the emotional confrontations for another week. At least until finals were over? 

Hiro became accustomed to everyone tiptoeing around him when the anniversary slowly made it's way back into their lives. He wished he could say he was doing better.

Seeing the piles of research thrown haphazardly across every flat and duct-tappable surface was one thing. Imagining his brother walking in to complain and tease him about the mess was more painful. In a bittersweet way, anyway. The reminders still hurt. 

Hiro was healthier and semi-alright with how the future turned out. Sure, the emotional cushion of being surrounded by the gang and Aunt Cass’ cherry turnovers was a nice sentiment. Seeing SFIT dedicate a building will always be something he’s proud of. He was nearing his graduation. That was crazy. He never expected _that_ to happen. Still, Hiro was losing sleep over what he was going to do once school was done. 

Hiro huffed as he jumped onto the trolley back home.

Crime or no crime, this was going to be Tadashi’s week. Hiro was going to face himself for as long as he could and promised he’d appreciate the quieter moments. 

Maybe he could watch Baymax’s video logs.

Somehow, the 40-minute walk back home was over. Hiro swung open the door to the Lucky Cat Café before unwillingly being pulled into a bear hug. 

“Sweetie!”

“Aunt Cass!” The awkward half-smile plastered on his face was telling. Cass paid little to no mind.

“Aren’t you supposed to be at school? No, don’t tell me. Not yet. I actually could use a hand in the back if you’re not busy.”

Hiro looked around the cafe. Rush hour already passed. “Uh, sure. No problem.”

“So, I’m going to have to restock inventory tomorrow, or else we won’t have anything to serve. And we need groceries too…” Cass continued. Hiro let her ramble. 

He should have bolted for the stairs. He was over Cass’ masked attempt to prod. 

And even if he did make it up to his room, what was he gonna do? Getting lost in Krei’s blueprints was his only good option. Did that help? The somber mood hovering over everyone was dragging him down. 

Hiro definitely did not want to ruin Tadashi's memorial. Especially with his brooding. 

He snapped out of his thoughts as Aunt Cass cupped his face.

“Are you okay, honey?”

“Yeah! Um, yeah.” Hiro rubbed the back of his neck. “Everyone’s just being super cautious because it’s, like, you know. It’s… it’s the anniversary but I’m okay. I’m doing okay.” Cass gave him a look. “I am! I just, augh!” He threw his hands in the air as she smiled.

“Well, I’m just checking. Never hurts to check.” Honey Lemon would have grinned. 

Silence filled the space between them as they both folded up boxes. Hiro almost allowed himself to be lost in thought again if not for her not-so-subtle poking. “Would a movie tonight be good? We can talk about it too,” she said without looking for his reaction. Talking about it would be better than holding it in. Still, Hiro wasn’t in the mood.

“Maybe.” Which really meant ‘No.’ A movie and confrontation were not in his plans. 

“Okay then,” Aunt Cass said. “8 o’clock. I’ll make hot dogs and wings.”

Hiro appreciated his aunt’s weird ways of trying to relate to him. He really did. He just needed some space. Some more alone time that didn’t risk any interruptions. He was still holding onto Krei’s blueprints. Hiro glanced towards the garage and then towards the kitchen. 

“Is… is it alright if I run back towards the university? I kind of wanted to work on my project a little at the lab.”

Cass stuffed the last of the boxes into the crate. _He just left school._ Hiro was lying. Again.

“Oh,” she said as she thought it over. “Sure. Just be back in time for dinner, m’kay?” 

He nodded before heading towards the door, “Thanks.”

“And don’t get into any trouble! You were causing a disturbance across town last week for God knows what reason.”

Hiro spun on his heel with a smile on his face, “Mr. Sato doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Plus, that was last week. I’m a changed man.” He could almost hear Cass groan as the door slammed. 

His brother’s moped was still in operation. Granted, he nearly crashed it after his 15th birthday. That situation was hard to explain. 

Now he could _legally_ drive without Cass hunting him down. He already walked half the city. He knew better. Baymax was the fastest way to traverse San Fransokyo. 

Still, it was Tadashi’s moped and Tadashi’s former SFIT project he was referencing. There was no time to get lost in his head. 

The blueprints were stuffed into his backpack. The motor roared. 

Hiro was heading towards the Ito Ishioka Institute and planned to be home with Baymax before dinner. Of course, after he scanned Krei’s documents onto a flash drive and flew over the city’s skyline. Then he would be home for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, you guys made it to the end. I appreciate that a lot! If you stick around for the next couple of chapters, I promise things will get a little more interesting. 
> 
> Hopefully, you can get a kick out of it. - Peter P.


	2. The Boy in the Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tadashi's POV and the boys finally meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this fic in line with the series? Maybe. Was rewriting a vast majority of this chapter so close to midnight worth it? Also maybe.

Tadashi did not want the future to look like this. 

First of all, he completely lost. He was blocks away from Sato's Garage, far beyond San Fransokyo's city limits. He tried to make his way back before nightfall, only to forget where he was. Tadashi’s memory fried both literally and figuratively.

The night after the accident was a blur of hospital hallways and medically-induced comas. When he woke up, he barely managed to remember his age; let alone his name. The vivid memory of leaving the hospital was even more traumatizing than the flashing images of being inside a burning building.

“Usually, amnesiac patients recover their memories in time,” the doctor-whose-name-he-kept-forgetting repeated for the thousandth time. “You remember your parents’ names. Maybe there’s a distant relative somewhere?” Every search and interrogation yielded nothing in return.

Tadashi knew his parents died long before the accident. For a while, he figured it was just him. 

Hours of daylight were wasted as he tried to find his way back. The only productive thing he managed to do was snag a worn hoodie from a thrift store located not far from the pier. And, even that was minimal. 

Tadashi looked at himself through a glass windowpane of a clothes shop. 

Scars from the accident still colored his arms and neck. Some still lingered in patches across his face. His hair was, well, short enough to look clean. It grew into a tangled mop he barely managed to control. The 'new' hoodie accentuated the fact that he was out of his element.

On the bright side, bits and pieces stuck. 

Bot fights, his night in jail, Mochi’s hover boots, and his parents were one thing. Other memories like what he had for dinner or if he even had dinner, and Aunt Cass’ famous, uh, lasagna, um, thing afterward was another. At this point, he was simply trying to get by.

Granted, stealing a sweater was not his brightest idea. Tadashi was mentally apologizing and imagining more jail time. His life after the accident was riddled with a deepened sense of guilt and unanswered questions.

But it was fine. It was all okay that Tadashi didn’t have a name or a family to accompany him for the first few months afterward. 

He didn’t have to cause an uproar after coming-to several months afterward or have to explain why he was gone, and he never had to see the reaction on his little brother’s face when trouble surrounded him on an occasional basis. Everything was peachy. 

Still, the pros outweighed the cons, right? He wasn’t completely lost.

He was off the pier. He could manage to make it back to Sato’s. And memories of Aunt Cass and Hiro returned in time. 

He debated showing up again in front of the cafe. _What would they say? Did they miss him? Or had they already grieved his death?_

No, no, he couldn't think about that. Remembering made things worse.

A familiar cramp popped up on his side. He pushed it down and tried to put pressure on it. Spasms; _just great._

He moved away from the window and tried to walk back towards the industrial sector. The garage suites always provided cover. It would be his place for the night.

However, the twinge in his side locked him in place. Tadashi fell to his knees with a gasp. 

He never allowed his inner turmoil to take over for the past week. Tadashi swore off the very thing that prevented him from calling quits on wandering the city alone. Still, he shoved the burning feeling down.

Weeks of unrest and battling himself both physically and mentally took their toll. Tadashi pushed down a pressure that was building throughout him. Tonight was not his night and the empty streets weren’t helping. 

Pyrokinesis, out of all the side-effects he could have had, it was pyrokinesis. It was Day 7 without releasing any tension. He was not going to use fire-related anything; not until he had to.

And yeah, he swore it off several times after he departed from the hospital. It was less intense then. Now, he was avoiding setting his entire person on fire regularly. The cramp intensified.

Deep down, he knew he was wrong for staying away. Yet here he was in a foreign, nearby county; the furthest from home he could manage.

As much as a warm bed sounded nice, it wasn’t a good idea. Flashbacks to close calls in hospital rooms and motels were practically engraved in his brain. Safety was his number one priority, after all.

So, he swore to follow three rules until they no longer worked.

One: Don’t get trapped in a small room. 

A dormant feeling of anxiety consumed him every time he felt a twinge or a spasm. His emotional state worsened the cozier the room appeared. It was a reminder of his lack of control.

That led to Rule Number Two: Don’t be caught off guard.

For the longest, Tadashi found himself unable to think clearly. Reasoning and finding a solution was easiest under pressure, especially before the accident. Yet, the constant drone of trying to solve long-term problems was more tedious than he recalled. He couldn’t imagine things beyond the worst possible outcome. He tried to find a better angle, a new perspective. The pit in his stomach and the flashes of the past’s mistakes stopped him in his tracks. The best thing he could do was to avoid trouble.

A stolen hoodie toed that line. 

And three: Going back to normal was not an option. 

His memories did come back, albeit slowly and in fragments. He remembered home and the comfort that came with it. Yet with names came information. 

_The Lucky Cat Cafe. Aunt Cass and Hiro were his family. Tadashi Hamada was his name._ He was still missing pieces, but he knew enough. He was a former robotics student. 

Hiro was trouble. Aunt Cass was chaotic. However, it was home to him. Hiro was a good kid, Aunt Cass was their guardian, and Tadashi was… put together.

He was all about organization, staying out of trouble, and, of course, safety. He was active, loved, and his circumstances changed. 

His old life was perfect. Pryokinesis exacerbated the fact.

Tadashi wasn’t going to come home, not yet. Not until he had everything under control. He wasn’t going to put his old family in danger, even if it meant sacrificing his own future. He wanted to help. Showing up at the cafe, covered in flames and worrying about setting the house on fire, wasn’t the best way to do that.

_And fire. Why fire of all things?_

He pulled the hoodie over his head. The smell of old cardboard boxes fused into the fabric made him cough. 

Life was okay. Not great, but okay. The future was going to be better. Hope was all he had aside from some hard skills and his fragmented memory of engineering formulas. His newfound brain fog and stress ate at him in a way robotics projects and university homework never did. Tadashi just needed to get his life together. He was going to learn to restrain himself before he walked back to the cafe. 

The spasm in his side pulsed again. 

He managed to make his way near the edge of an alleyway. Tadashi pushed himself into a corner. His hands unfolded in his lap as flames coated his hands in seconds. 

Achieving normal wasn’t possible, not anymore. The twinge in his side eased. Yet as much as he tried, he couldn’t contain the fire. 

The aches in his body were fading as the flames grew in intensity. His eyes widened. He couldn’t stop it from growing. _Oh, great._

He shoved his hand underneath his new sweatshirt and held it down. _Stop! Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop!_

The fire died out as his cramp returned in full force. 

Well, at least his hoodie didn’t smell like mildew and cardboard anymore. The edge of his sleeves was charred black as well as the inside. His inability to think through the anxiety was a twisted turn of events. 

There were nights where he was tempted to walk into the Lucky Cat Cafe only to see it shrink in the distance. On a handful of occasions, he came up with an explanation and everything. He would knock on the front door, there would be confusion, anger, tears, and ultimately, Tadashi would be back home. He could handle the outrage and tears. He imagined Aunt Cass being a mess and Hiro more-so.

But what happened when he couldn’t stay calm? When his emotions jumped out of line? What happened when he was the reason the house burned? They would relive the accident, together. 

Normal wasn’t just off-limits. It was an incredibly terrible idea. 

Tadashi couldn’t take the risk. The running, the hiding, and the long-term pain were all consequences of his decision.

So, a handful of months were spent without a name and in and out visits to motels and hospitals. 

The old way of living was gone. Unless the sky fell, he would try to be whatever he was. No more overworked nights. No more be naive or childish. No more of the future he envisioned for himself. Tadashi really had died.

And Hiro. Honey Lemon. Aunt Cass and Mochi. Gogo, Fred, Wasabi, Professor Callaghan, everyone. They all moved on. 

Several months after the accident and several months of being lost, Tadashi found himself awake in a different world.

He couldn’t think, he couldn’t move, and he would never dare to forget and leave it all behind. Tadashi stuck around San Fransokyo. However, he was no longer a part of it. He watched over Hiro, helped a few strangers, and tried his hardest to come to terms with who he became. He worked odd jobs for cash and sometimes lunch. He would simply try to be someone new. 

And only then, would he return home. Nothing could change his mind.

So, a warm bed: in theory, it broke Rule #1 fair and square. Vetoed. Okay, warehouses were usually safe after hours. Avoid alleys, get off the street, and be somewhere where lights were always on. 

The stability of a decent apartment or a part-time job was terrifying. It was almost funny how Tadashi was never this anxious about basic living standards before. The plan so far was to learn to control his newfound pyrokinesis and then settle down. He was nearly two years behind on that, but who was checking?

Tadashi’s side was still throbbing. Holding his pyro in meant his physiology would combust under the stress soon. 

New plan; he would take his time walking towards Sato’s garage. The old man running the place knew Tadashi well enough to let him stay. He could rest there.

As soon as he rose to his feet, a man ran out of the alleyway next door. It was the street where Tadashi found his sweatshirt. 

“You!” the man shouted, “I’ve got you on camera! I’m calling the cops!” Walking time was over. Tadashi forced himself to run. 

He broke into a sprint while still clutching his side. The pain was near-searing; he could take it. 

Tadashi never stated his rules would _prevent_ him from getting into trouble. His pledge to never enter a public building was two years strong. A place like the police department was even more-so worth avoiding.

Running away from the guy who caught him stealing, though, was an all-time low for the former robotics student. Hiro would laugh at him and call him a hypocrite if he ever knew.

Tadashi jumped the alleyway fence. Memories of his Vespa flashed in his mind. He shoved them down. _Sato’s garage, just get to the garage._ He never really got in this much trouble. Still, the worst of the worst managed to total up into one night.

He ran until he nearly slammed into the concrete.

Tadashi was panting and hunched over his knees several blocks away. He looked up to an empty street. The sweatshirt guy was nowhere to be found. 

Tadashi let out a quiet laugh and relaxed. The good news was that… he ran in the opposite direction. He must’ve made a wrong turn. Sato’s was further than he anticipated. 

_New-new plan, go towards warehouses and the shipyard instead._ He wasn't far.

KreiTech’s warehouse usually was unguarded when the industrial lights were off. Tadashi made his way towards the storage unit, unaware of the candy-red robot flying overhead.

“Okay,” Hiro said while riding atop Baymax’s back, “Krei’s blueprints are officially citywide-destruction bad. As long as his warehouse is empty, then there’s nothing to worry about. Right?” Baymax didn’t reply. He learned about rhetorical questions. Hiro hoped there would at least be something inside. Anything. “Let’s make it quick.” 

Baymax followed their makeshift protocol. He was on the lookout while Hiro investigated. He just needed to make sure Krei was doing this before he seriously decided to pursue the project.

It was well past 8 o'clock. Aunt Cass would be fuming. Hiro rolled his eyes. Silent Sparrow threatened to make a comeback. His curfew could wait.

Baymax landed on the roof of the warehouse as Hiro jumped off. 

“Your scans indicate you are in emotional distress,” Baymax said. 

“Uh, yeah. Krei always makes dumb decisions, but not this dumb. He’s innovating the most complicated project he’s ever sponsored. And they didn’t even finish the first version!” Baymax cocked his head.

“The distress is not caused by Alastair Krei.” Hiro turned. 

“Oh. Well, yeah, I mean, it’s just the anniversary, Baymax. It's normal to feel not-so-great.”

“I am aware of the matter. Your schedule proves overwhelming. Tadashi is h-”

“I know,” Hiro cut in. He didn’t want to burst into tears while on-mission. “Here in my memories, kind of way. I got it, Baymax. Thanks.” He was getting really tired of his robot randomly spewing the statement for several days and then going silent for months.

_‘Tadashi is here’_ was the phrase Baymax used when the world became too much to handle. It was comforting. And like the prodding, it was nice until it wasn’t.

Hiro made his way inside via the rooftop stairwell as Baymax followed. Tadashi didn’t notice them as he made his way around the perimeter. 

Any of the warehouses could work as a rest stop. Tadashi just needed to double-check for security guards, and then he could call it a night. 

He looked at his hands again. His body was aching less; that was good news. As for the bad news, well. 

Flames surrounded his hands. Tadashi sighed as he leaned against the wall and slid down onto the ground. Everything sucked. 

It was stupid how much he couldn’t manage his own strength. The heat from his palms charred the edges of his sweatshirt more. Things would be worse if his family knew how much he struggled. It was all too much. 

Instead of continuing to think his life over, he simply curled up, put his head down, and slumped his arms across his knees. He let the flames continue to burn as he finally let all of the tension go. Burn holes formed in his jeans. Tadashi didn’t care. He tried to keep his eyes closed for as long as he could.

Several minutes passed before Tadashi heard several metal pipes fall over. He shot up, sleep mere seconds away. So much for checking for security.

His few minutes of peace were quickly interrupted by the sound of the industrial lights flickering on. A metal click echoed behind him. Tadashi turned to look. Another metal reverb, _clink, clink_. Someone was inside. 

Tadashi broke into another sprint, this time fueled by his fears. That couldn't be the sweatshirt guy. The sound of heavy boots was trailing close behind him. He just wanted a night off. 

“...we’re just checking his inventory….” were the only words he heard before freezing in place. He knew that voice. Maybe security was out tonight. What were the chances of recognizing one of the guards, though? The ache in his side threatened to give way. Tadashi kept his composure and ran.

_Think, hiding spot. Find a hiding spot._

He ducked behind the large, industrial boxcar that had Krei’s name plastered on the side. The metal shoes inched closer. Tadashi lowered himself into the shadows. He needed to leave. 

He maneuvered his way towards an exit. He just had to make it to the open doorway in time. The metal shoes stopped.

“I detect signs of life,” echoed throughout the warehouse. Tadashi stopped. That couldn’t be.

He peered out from behind a crate only to see a giant, red robot decked out in armor. He was aware of Big Hero 6, but not familiar. 

No time to think it over. Tadashi had a new-new-new plan: Get out.

He made a break for the door. The robot locked onto him. “There,” it pointed.

“Hey!” someone yelled. Tadashi managed to climb over the fence half an hour earlier. The side cramp’s triumphant return made the same feat nearly impossible. He took cover in a tight crevice between the boxcars. “Wait! Stop!” 

Tadashi didn’t listen. He was still trying to run. 

The industrial lights faded the further he escaped. Tadashi was covered by the dark of night. 

The sound of the metal shoes stopped and exchanged for the sound of rocket launchers. Whatever security alarm Tadashi set off, he instantly regretted. 

A projectile shot out towards him. The last of his tiredness was eradicated. The metal structure lining the crevice directly behind him was mauled. So much for an escape plan; he was trapped. 

Tadashi was trying his hardest to avoid using pyrokinesis; he really was. One event after another was totally screwing with his plan to have a good night’s rest. 

The giant, red robot was now hovering in front of him. 

“Look, I don’t want any trouble,” he yelled. “I’ll be out of your hair from now on.” The robot didn’t reply. It was recalibrating its cameras or something. Another set of footsteps raced closer. 

Tadashi took off into another tight cranny. The robot flew overhead. 

“Hey! Wait!” he heard the other person yell.

Tadashi nearly tripped as he slipped out from behind another crate. He flailed his arms as fire engulfed his hands. _Not now. Please, not now_ , he thought. Tadashi grunted as he stumbled forward. 

_Great. Just fantastic. Okay, goals! Let’s review goals for tonight: Avoid getting caught, and try not to burn his sleeves to a crisp_. That was easier said than done. 

Tadashi ducked down and took in as much of his surroundings as possible. _Think, think, think, think!_ What could he use as a defense? 

Before he could come up with a solution, a rocket from above collided with the boxcar behind him.

The robot appeared over him in what seemed like a matter of seconds. Tadashi tried to regain his train of thought. He needed to run from a rocket-launching security system. That was new.

The robot grabbed him by the hood. He propped Tadashi up as his eyes widened.

“Okay! Okay! Okay! What do you want, man? The hoodie?” Tadashi asked, hands up. “I won’t hurt you.”

“Tadashi,” the robot repeated.

“Um, yes?”

“Tadashi.”

“Pretty sure that’s me?”

Tadashi wondered if the break in the alleyway was the moment his secret escaped. If the sweatshirt guy recorded him, who else knew about his misdeeds? And he answered to his name. If the robot was going to call the cops, he just gave them a lead. Amateur. 

The ache in his side pulsed again. No fire came out this time. His body was exhausted from the running. Again, not his ideal night. 

The robot brought him back into the light and dropped him. Tadashi attempted to throw the hoodie over his head, keeping some semblance of his identity secret. The hood slipped down by the time he turned back to look at who was attacking him. 

A matching purple suit inched its way closer to him. A person in scraped up armor now stood by the robot’s side. A purple visor blocked his vision of who or what could be inside.

Tadashi tensed up. San Fransokyo’s vigilante team of superheroes was not on his list of people he expected to meet tonight. Then, the visor flipped open.

He didn't plan on seeing a familiar mop of hair and armored… Baymax? An awkward, half-smile unintentionally grew on his face. Seeing Hiro alive and well was all he could ask. Maybe there was an opportunity to go home, to be normal again. 

Yet Tadashi was aware of _why_ he was running. Returning home was not an option.

The thought barely crossed his mind before he saw the slack-jawed expression on Hiro’s face. He could see the tears and anger rising in his now 16-year-old little brother. 

A spike of adrenaline coursed through him. The years of running away were over. However, that meant he had to come to terms with the trauma, the change, and the inability to make the future safer. 

And his rules he lived by for the past couple of years. They were going to be broken if Hiro was still as stubborn as he remembered. Pyrokinesis was an inevitable dilemma they were all going to face. 

Maybe he could run again.

The ache in his side simmered. Bad idea. He would hold off his pyro for as long as he could. He had to.

But no running? No hiding? Going home?

This was not good. Definitely not good. Tadashi couldn't disguise his pyrokinesis in forever. What was he supposed to do? _Run. Freeze. Say something._

Hiro couldn’t process what was going on. He was glued to the ground and could only stare at what he believed was someone who simply looked like Tadashi. There was still a chance it wasn’t him. It was a trick of the light or something, a projection maybe. 

Obake’s visual trick flashed in his head. Hiro indulged in having his brother back. He even talked with him. But he knew it was only that, an illusion.

Then, the stranger spoke. 

“Hey.” There was no doubt; that was Tadashi’s voice. He sounded exhausted. The millions of thoughts racing through Hiro’s head finally stopped for a brief moment as he felt tears roll down his cheeks. No witty dialogue or clever one-liners. Tadashi stood in the flesh as Hiro’s world came crashing down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I offer you some angst in these trying times? Because dude. DUDE. D U D E . This chapter is 3,700+ words. The original goal was 2K. This whole update just needed to get revised. I think even now it needs to be trimmed down.
> 
> Thanks to Google Docs for not crashing. I’ve got several chapters on the same doc mapped out. That doesn't include the notes, comments and edit marks I throw in there, heh. Fingers crossed.
> 
> One thing I wanted to see specifically happen in this fic was for Tadashi to *choose* to stay away. What happens when Mr. Perfect over here makes mistakes that are beyond academics? (The answer is drama.) :)
> 
> Anyway, thank you guys for the kudos and the comments. It really makes my day exponentially more awesome. 
> 
> Next chapter will be up on Feb. 7th. It’s gonna be a ride, literally. Aunt Cass and co. will come in as the chapters progress.


	3. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Memory can make a thing seem to have been much more than it was.” – Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a long walk from the warehouses to the Lucky Cat Cafe. Also, no Aunt Cass this week. 👏 We have to address the boys first! 👏

"Hey." What else was Tadashi supposed to say? The remorse was unbearable. He rubbed the back of his neck, the hoodie still half propped up.

“Tadashi?” The crack in Hiro’s voice broke his heart. The teenage version of his baby brother stood frozen, eyes wide and full of shock. 

“Yeah,” Tadashi said. “I… uh, may have been a little late to dinner.” 

The air was sucked out of Hiro’s lungs. The person he was chasing was… no. It couldn’t be. It was a distraction, a trick. Tadashi was supposed to be dead. Still, Hiro inched his way closer. 

The disheveled hair and warehouse grime didn't shield Tadashi from the scrutiny. Eye bags that never used to be there hung heavily on his face. Faded scars, bruises, and scratches littered his arms. Every injury could have gone unnoticed if not for the industrial lights. 

It was still him. Somehow, it really was Tadashi. 

“How?” Hiro asked. Every step he took forward, his older brother took several steps back.

 _Okay, not a good sign_ , Hiro thought. Plus, Tadashi’s attempt to escape was somewhat suspicious. He could be different. He could be hurt. He could be a million things.

There wasn’t any room to run through the possibilities. Tears welled despite Hiro’s efforts to keep his cool.

Tadashi didn’t know what to do. He was panicking. He saw the millions of questions running through Hiro’s head. Tadashi wanted to escape but his brother grounded him to the spot.

He moved in to give Hiro a very awkward and reassuring shoulder pat, only for him to crash into Tadashi’s side full of sobs, snot, and all. He stood there, slack-jawed, as his little brother embraced him without a second thought. Rejection, anger, and hatred were all on the list of reactions he was expecting. Several seconds of disbelief passed before Tadashi wrapped his arms around him and squeezed.

“It’s a long story.”

Hiro backed up from the hug angrily, “But why?” he half-yelled. “Huh? Why did you wait? Why didn’t you just come home?” Tadashi tried to grab him by the shoulders. Hiro pushed himself further away, “This… this isn’t real. You’re not… you can’t!” 

Honestly, this was not how Tadashi imagined meeting his family if he ever planned on it. Not that he didn’t want to.

He was still scolding himself for the lackluster comment. _‘Hey._ ’ What kind of response was that? There had to be a better approach. 

_Run. Speak. Do something._ All Tadashi could do was attempt to respond.

“Why?” Hiro asked again.

 _Pyrokinesis_ , Tadashi thought. _He never came home because of pyrokinesis._ And well, his lack of better judgment after the trauma of waking up in a completely different reality. 

He was dreading the existential crisis that would hit everyone who dared to enter the Lucky Cat Café. 

And, of course, the threat of bursting into flames. 

Now, Hiro was going to have to relive his nightmare a couple of years after everyone else moved on. Well after Tadashi accepted his circumstances. Coming home was a milestone that was going to hurt.

“I was afraid,” Tadashi replied. “And, I made some bad choices.”

Hiro punched his shoulder. 

“Yeah, no kidding, knucklehead! What were you thinking?” Hiro launched back into the hug. A million questions flooded his head at once. 

_Why are you here?_

_Is it really you?_

_What kind of messed up game is this?_

_Why?_

_Just why?_

But all he could do was hold onto his brother as if letting him go meant he would disappear again. 

Baymax beeped in the background, his visor flipping upwards. Hiro turned towards him.

“Is that... who I think it is?” Tadashi asked. Hiro tensed up and wiped his face clean. 

“Long story?” He wriggled out of the hug once more. “And what about you?” Hiro said. “How-? Why, why are you _here_? Are you in trouble? Were you running from someone?”

Tadashi didn’t know how to answer. The armor caught his attention. Hiro stood taller than his 14-year-old self. He asked questions with more authority. Yet the kid in front of him was his baby brother, not some superhero keeping strangers in check. 

He raised his eyebrows, “Wait a minute, what are _you_ doing out this late? You’re playing vigilante? What are you thinking?”

Oh, those were fighting words.

“Tadashi,” Hiro argued, “You’re not supposed to be here. You’re not supposed to be alive. What’s going on? You’re… you’re-” He couldn't ask everything at once. Hiro was overwhelmed.

“You’re right,” Tadashi said. He needed to cut off his brother’s train of thought before his brain decided to wreck itself. “Look, I know you’re going through a lot. _This_ is a lot. But, the best thing we can do is stay calm. I promise I’ll explain everything. Okay?” 

Hiro frowned. He tried to run his hand through his hair, only for his hand to smack against his helmet.

“Unbelievable,” Hiro said. Baymax beeped again.

“Hiro, my neurotransmitters are detecting rising-”

“Not now, Baymax!” He was hyperventilating. What were the chances that this was another ploy? It was Tadashi. It had to be. All of Hiro's trust, hope, and visions of the future were radically transforming in a matter of seconds. “I can’t. I don’t, I don’t understand it! You’re-” 

“I said I would tell you,” Tadashi said. “Just, let me explain?” The tiredness in his face became more apparent. Hiro shut his mouth. He was exhausted too. 

Hiro wiped more of his tears away, “Just come home this time.” 

Tadashi froze. Hiro wasn’t grounding him anymore. Instead, it felt like his shoes glued to the cement.

“Home?” he asked. Mental images of being surrounded by flames flashed in Tadashi’s mind. Two years of suffering only to end up in the one place he was trying to avoid. His rules, his pledge, and his fears obliterated any hope for normalcy. “Uh, um…” Hiro pulled Tadashi by the arms as Baymax gently pushed him forward. “I can’t.” 

Hiro turned sharply on his heel, still drenched in tear stains, “What do you mean ‘you can’t?’” 

That familiar pain in Tadashi’s side gave a warning of his lack of control. He could tell Hiro now? That might be too much.

“I…” 

Another crash from the warehouse entry sounded off. A security team, a _real_ security team, slammed open the metal slide door. “Hey! You! Stop!”

Hiro snagged his brother’s arm with a metal grip.

“Aw, Krei’s gonna kill me if he finds out I’m here! Come on!”

The guards bolted towards Baymax. Tadashi was still trying to piece together what little information he had. He was caught between running from the guards, running from his brother, and heading somewhere towards an exit. 

Tadashi broke free from the grasp. 

Hiro swirled back around, locking eyes with him. _Don’t do it. Anything but that. Don’t disappear again._

Tadashi started to sprint in the opposite direction. A hollow feeling filled Hiro's chest. Tadashi trailed backwards, towards an exit before being scooped up by his former SFIT project from behind. So much for making decisions on his own.

Baymax flicked out a pair of wings before launching into the air. The edges of the red suit slammed into the side of the equipment as Tadashi’s side seared with heat with each bump. 

_Not now. Please, not now._

Hiro mounted onto Baymax’s magnetic holds, shoes automatically strapping in as he shoved the devastation down. He was bringing his brother home regardless.

“Let’s go!” Hiro shouted. Rocket boosters built into the armor whirred. And soon, Tadashi’s line of sight was blocked by a hunk of 3D-printed armor. Baymax shielded him as he made a sharp angle for the ceiling. 

The rooftop splintered into pieces. 

Tadashi felt all of it, unable to assist. The sheer force of the rockets gave both boys whiplash. 

The security guards shrank in the distance as Tadashi opened his eyes to the night sky. 

He shouldn’t have run. He was going home whether he wanted to or not. The lack of a response from Hiro made things worse. 

He let all tension go as he leaned against Baymax’s armor. Silence now filled the space between him and his brother.

* * *

Question after question filled Hiro’s head. He needed to start the conversation. He was upset. No, furious. Well no, confused. Hiro just wasn’t ready to handle the onslaught of issues about to hit him. The somber tone wasn’t helping either.

“So,” Tadashi finally asked, “this is what you’ve been doing?” 

Hiro grimaced. They were flying home via Baymax. He never really considered Tadashi’s thoughts on hero work or using his SFIT project for that matter. Maybe he would be mad or overly-concerned... in a good, I’m-still-the-responsible-sibling kind of way. 

Yet Tadashi’s words were too hushed. He was upset, sure. Hiro couldn't read his other emotions.

“It was my way of doing something good,” Hiro said. “Baymax is still the same, though.” 

The faint sound of robotic batteries dying changed the atmosphere drastically. 

“Uh-oh,” Baymax said. The rocket boosters puffed out the last of exhaust before dropping several feet. 

Hiro screamed as Tadashi closed his eyes and braced for impact. Upset wasn’t the word. Terrified certainly was. For now, he just wanted to avoid incoming injuries. 

The giant robot slammed and skidded across an open field. Dirt flooded over both boys as they struggled to hang on. Baymax slowed to a halt, half-buried, as Hiro frantically tried to claw his way out from underneath the armor.

“Tadashi!” he yelled. _He just found him._ It was too early to lose him to another accident. A muffled laugh came from underneath the mound of a useless robot. Hiro shoved Baymax’s arm away. 

“I’m okay!” Tadashi said. A huge grin was plastered onto his face. “I’m okay. It’s still in his programming to avoid injury!” 

“Oh my God,” Hiro said, “We just fell from the sky, and you’re happy about his programming? Are you insane?” Tadashi may not have remembered everything before the accident, but he knew enough. 

“A year and a half of programming will do that to you.” Tadashi pried himself free, the aches coming back in bits and pieces. Hiro moved to pull him by the arms, only for Tadashi to jerk away in pain with a yelp.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Hiro said, hands raised in the air.

“Don’t… don’t be stupid. I’m alright.” Hiro nodded his head nervously as he looked back at the hunk of 3D-printed armor partially buried in the ground. 

Baymax couldn’t walk home. 

_Great. Just great_ , Hiro thought. Tadashi was hurt yet somehow alive, and Baymax was dead weight. And he didn’t even get a chance to check Krei’s inventory. Silent Sparrow would have to be shelved. Hiro was forced to drag everyone home and it was going to be grueling. 

“Where… where are we, anyway?” Tadashi asked. The image of Tadashi backing away was ingrained in his mind. An unsettling feeling was rooted in Hiro’s chest. If his brother really wanted to stay hidden, now was his chance.

“San Fransokyo. Not even near the university.” Hiro helped his brother stand on his feet, “We’re nowhere close to home, that's for sure.”

Tadashi was out of energy for the night. No, make that a month. Two months, maybe. Rules or no rules, Tadashi needed to rest. He could contain his powers for a night. 

The screaming and the breakdowns were worth it. Just no more running; no more not-knowing. His eyes were starting to close without permission. “How long until we get there?”

* * *

They walked in the dark for 40 minutes. The awkward silence came back in full.

Hiro dragged Baymax’s deflated body across the pavement while he gripped onto Tadashi’s arm. The red, 3D armor was either abandoned at the crash site or still hanging onto the vinyl by sheer luck.

Step by step, the house drew closer.

Tadashi was slower than he remembered, but who was checking? He looked down at Hiro, who was stricken with shock. Right, he was checking.

His legs were getting heavy, his sleep schedule was catching up, and the never-ending aches nearly convinced him it was alright to call it quits. Hiro pushed him forward anyway. 

Yet, Tadashi could still escape. He could run. 

_Just don’t do this_ , he thought. _Anything but walk back home. Out of all the terrible ideas to follow through with, this one?_ Still, his eyelids were practically shutting on their own. Two years of dodging his old life managed to total into a chaotic swirl of _what-ifs_. 

Maybe Hiro finding him was a good thing.

No more unidentified hospital visits. No more moving from motel to motel, only to wander back towards the warehouses. No more being on his own.

There was absolutely no controlling his fiery outbursts; Tadashi knew that. At least, not anytime soon. But he had a support group, right? Once they were past the introductions and the anger, they would make it to the other side unscathed. He was hoping for it.

There was no justification for staying away from home anymore. Tadashi had enough.

The Lucky Cat Cafe came into view after an eternity of walking. They trudged together as Hiro pulled him along. 

The dim lights stemming from behind the glass brought a bizarre mixture of fear and happiness. And for a second, Tadashi smiled.

A cramp sent him toward the ground. He gritted his teeth and groaned. Hiro watched in horror from behind Baymax’s shapeless vinyl as his brother clutched his side.

“What’s wrong?” Hiro asked anxiously. No reply. The pain was overbearing. Hiro took off his helmet, “Okay! Just… um. You can camp out in the garage, and I’ll go call Aunt Cass!” Tadashi glared up at him. “No, no, you’re right. That’s a terrible idea. Maybe we should call an ambulance? How am I going to explain that?” 

Tadashi stopped him mid-rant, shaking his head violently. His hand shot up to cover Hiro’s mouth as he fell back onto the sidewalk. The cramp in his side locked him in place.

Hiro eyed him up and down, worry written all over his face. Tadashi looked like he was seconds away from collapsing completely.

“You… you don’t want an ambulance? Are you sure about that?” Hiro didn’t realize that going home was the furthest thing from his brother’s plans; nevermind a hospital. Tadashi was tired. The warm bed his brother denied that night was now a 99% possibility. Nothing would bring him more joy.

Still, they needed to trek from the alleyway to the garage and then upstairs. Getting Tadashi out of the warehouse was one thing. Flying was another shock that added to the situation. Now they had to cross the ultimate barrier: Aunt Cass. 

Hiro was too young to handle the gravity of the situation. He was about to bring his dead brother back to life. There was no time to plan or elaborate on an explanation that made sense.

He was confused and almost sick. Would Tadashi even say anything once he was well? What made him stay away? It wasn’t like he didn’t love his family, right? _Right?_

“Oh my God,” Hiro repeated, running his hands through his hair, “How am I supposed to explain this? What were you doing out in a warehouse? How are you even alive?”

Hiro was flipping between watching his brother try to walk back home and say, ‘um,’ more times than he liked. 

How would Cass react? Sure, Hiro could say he just found him in an abandoned warehouse. But then she would ask questions. Big Hero 6 was still a secret.

Question after question fell out of Hiro’s mouth subconsciously. What w-

“Can you please stop worrying?” Tadashi finally managed to spit out. He straightened up, pushed the pain away, and held Hiro’s shoulders down. 

“I- I’m sorry,” Hiro whispered.

“Don’t be. I’m the one who should be sorry. But right now, let’s just focus on getting somewhere safe.” He stood up slowly and followed Hiro towards the cafe.

Tadashi was dreading the introductions too. 

What on earth was he gonna say to his aunt? _‘Hey there, Cass! Sorry I ducked out of two years of both of your lives. I was scared I’d frighten you guys into the next millennium.’_

Tadashi stopped walking. Regret began to replace every bone in his body. 

Hiro turned back, “What is it?” Tadashi didn’t answer. He was lost in thought and didn’t hear a word. “Tadashi,” he pleaded, “Please, say something.” 

Hiro watched the gears begin to turn in his brother’s head. 

Truth be told, Tadashi didn’t know what to do either. He wanted to be the know-it-all but, right now, he was drained. The front door of the cafe felt like it had magically appeared after miles of empty streets. 

He put his head in his hands, “Ugh, I just,” Tadashi sighed, “I should have just come home.” Hiro was attempting to take it all in.

“Okay. Well, um, we can take this slow. But right now, I can’t even hear myself think and you look like you’re falling apart.” 

Hiro leaned down to meet his eyes.

“What are we supposed to do, genius? You still have anything in that big brain of yours?” he asked. Tadashi took a second to come up with a reply. He stuck his hand out and pointed at the café.

“How about we just go through the front door?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y’all. I love unceremonious ‘welcome back’ parties. The chaos, the ruin - absolute perfection. 
> 
> Thank you guys again for the kudos and comments. I had a rough week and seeing feedback absolutely motivates me. 
> 
> And, I'm super excited to see Cass finally have her moment in the next update. She's under-appreciated and deserves more love. 
> 
> I've reread this story so many times, the shock value is gone. Bruh, give me that good critique so I can improve and stuff! See you guys Feb. 21!


	4. Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I was on the verge of jumping into one of those holes in life out of which we emerge a bit tattered and bloody, though we remain sure nonetheless that we had to make the jump.” — Jim Harrison

Hiro nearly dragged his brother through the alleyway. The garage was their best bet. Tadashi let out a noise of frustration. The back door wasn’t exactly what he was hoping for. If he was going to return home after two years of running from himself, he at least wanted to do introductions properly.

His little brother, however, wanted to avoid the front door as much as possible. It was well beyond Aunt Cass' "before-dinner" curfew. She would tear him to pieces if she saw him waltz in with Baymax deflated down to the frame. 

Hiro plopped the robot into his charging station and dismantled whatever piece of his suit hadn’t fallen off. 

He was mentally thanking Honey Lemon for the most brilliant idea in the history of ideas: _multiple charging stations._ One case at home, one upstairs, and one at the lab. It was one of the smartest decisions Hiro ever made. 

The robot slowly rose to his feet as Hiro shed his own purple armor.

“Okay, Baymax,” he said, “scan him.” Tadashi watched as his SFIT project followed his brother’s orders and examined him for injuries. A look of realization dawned on his face. Baymax was more than a collection of late nights and thousands of lines of code that, apparently, could fly. He was a working operating system, a real medical assistant. 

“Your vitals show you are Tadashi Hamada, age 22, and are suffering from multiple ailments both internally and externally,” Baymax said. A wide grin spread across Tadashi’s face. 

“You kept him the same?” he asked. Hiro looked back from the garage door where he hid pieces of his super suit behind the couch.

“I mean, he’s gone through a lot. He’s version 2.0. Or really, 2.5.” Hiro rubbed the back of his neck as Tadashi looked up to Baymax. “He still has the same hardware, though.” 

Tadashi couldn’t be more conflicted. His brother became a vigilante and used his head to get into even more danger; the total opposite of what he tried to accomplish. 

On the other hand, Hiro was helping people. He cut out a name for himself. It wasn’t quite what he had in mind when he suggested having a new perspective. 

He was flipping between hot anger, pride, frustration, and confusion.

Granted, Tadashi still hadn’t told Hiro about the whole new pyrokinesis aspect of him. That could wait. The sheer amount of stress, anxiety, and lack of answers made Hiro look a decade older. It was almost terrifying. He couldn’t imagine Aunt Cass. 

Hiro snapped him out of his thoughts by dragging him closer to the door. Tadashi pulled back, aches forcing him to sit down on the couch. He groaned as he tried not to aggravate his side stitch. Hiro let go automatically. 

“What?” Tadashi asked. His brother was staring, and frankly, it wasn't welcome. There were too many things to say.

“You’re here," Hiro finally blurted. "You’re obviously hurt. How…? When-?” He wished he could have said he ran out of tears, but he hadn’t. That familiar burning feeling in his throat returned as he ran his hand through his hair. And when Baymax said, ‘Tadashi was here.’ What did that mean, now? He took a deep breath, “We… we buried you, Tadashi. Please give me something to go off of. How are you..., you know?” Hiro gestured with his hands.

Tadashi gave him a look of apprehension. That was the million-dollar question, wasn’t it? Of course, he didn’t have a clear explanation. _It’s a blur. It’s complicated. I guess it was sheer luck or destiny._ All he knew was that there was a clear before and after. 

Yet answering questions was harder than asking.

“And what were you doing out so late?” Tadashi asked. “Outside city limits at that. I definitely know Aunt Cass doesn’t let you go that far at night.” Hiro crossed his arms as his emotions took over.

“You’re unbelievable,” he shot back. “You can’t just disappear and be the bigger person again. Are you aware of what’s happened? Do you know what we all went through?”

“Hiro-”

“No. Tadashi. Everything’s changed. I’ve changed. Aunt Cass has changed. I’m sure you’re different too. Just, don’t, don’t-” Hiro broke down. More tears welled their way out as Tadashi tried to come up with a response. 

He spent his time running, trying to let go of the person he used to be. Now that Hiro was standing in front of him, he needed to pretend to be his old self.

“You’re right,” Tadashi said.

Hiro wiped his face with his fist, “What?”

“I can’t be there for you. Not like before.” He swallowed the fact that Hiro was 16. He couldn’t baby him. “I’ll tell you everything. And you don’t have to forgive me. It’s been a long night. For both of us, I mean.”

Hiro furrowed his eyebrows.

“Forgive you? Tadashi, I couldn’t be happier that you’re here. That you’re alive. But you stayed away from us. I can’t, and I don’t understand it.” His older brother nodded. 

Hiro was right. Tadashi _strongly_ disliked the fact that he was right. Yet the rage his brother held melted into tears. Hiro opened his mouth to add to his questions but refused to continue. “Let’s just get inside.” 

He wiped his eyes clean and opened the door gently. The night disappeared underneath Cass’ warm ceiling lights as Baymax assisted Tadashi over the sill. 

This was it. He could do this. 

The sudden sound of footsteps angrily running down the stairs gave Tadashi an adrenaline rush. 

He couldn’t do this.

There had to be a better way to break the news. Maybe he should have run when he had the chance. His body was frozen. Forget his side stitch; this was a different kind of anxiety. 

“Tadashi, my neurotransmitters detect…, sig-” Both boys rushed to quiet Baymax. 

“Shut up!” Hiro whispered. “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! I am satisfied with my care!” Baymax listened and slowly began making his way back to his charging station. Except, he went in the opposite direction. He headed towards the charger upstairs -- the one that crossed paths with his aunt.

“Baymax?!” Cass yelled from the second floor, “Where’s Hiro?” Tadashi picked his head up, surprised to hear her react so casually (and furiously) to his old college project.

“Hiro has returned home safely,” Baymax replied as he ascended the stairs. “He is waiting by the garage door. Goodnight.” Hiro slapped his hand against his forehead as she marched onward, Mochi in lieu. 

“Hiro! I said back before dinner! What were you thinking?! Staying out this-!” Cass stopped.

Hiro was fear-stricken as Tadashi stood by his side. His hoodie from the alley was covered in warehouse grime. His hair still stood upright from Baymax’s flight. And, the scars that lined his face, neck, and arms were still visible.

Cass dropped her plate of cherry pie crumbs. Mochi ran back up the stairs as the ceramic shattered across the floor. 

Tadashi rubbed the back of his neck, “Hey, Aunt Cass.” She didn’t respond. She stared at the disheveled version of her nephew as he tried to look away. 

Hiro watched as the two communicated in silence. 

“Aunt Cass?” Hiro asked as he stepped between them. She locked in place, Tadashi folding in on the scrutiny. 

“Hiro,” she whispered, “What did you do?”

“It’s not my fault!” he cried. “Or actually, it wasn’t my idea. No, I mean, no. I was trying to… well! Aunt Cass, it’s him. It’s really him.”

Cass tiptoed closer, not breaking eye contact. “It’s you?” Tadashi nodded, unable to clear out the scratch in his throat. “Hiro, if this is a projection-thingy, or, or, some sort of messed up science stuff-!” Hiro shook his head as Tadashi inwardly cringed at her words. The thought of hurting her sent a sting straight through his heart. 

Tadashi tried to cover up the burn marks on his sleeves and the black spots in his jeans. He backed into the wall. He leaned his head back and shut one eye waiting for an outburst of emotions. 

“Are you mad-?” Cass interrupted his question with an inhuman noise that was a mixture of a scream and a sob. 

Tadashi jumped before being pulled into a hug by the ears unwillingly. She held on tightly before shoving him back to look at his face and then pulled him back into another hug that nearly made him lose his balance. 

Tadashi finally wrapped his arms around her after being pushed and shoved into several bear hugs filled with ugly sobs, mainly from her.

“I’m so sorry, Aunt Cass!” Tadashi stuck his arm out to Hiro, who rammed into his side. The ache caught his attention but not enough to end the embrace. “I should’ve come home! I saw you were okay! I tried to avoid trouble-!” Aunt Cass punched his shoulder. She gripped him by the arms, and tried to shake him but couldn’t manage.

“It’s okay! It’s okay! You’re home now,” she cried. She held him tightly, and slowly began to notice him shift his weight into the hug. 

All of Tadashi’s muscles relaxed as if on cue. He was back in his old home and with his old family. The exhaustion he carried throughout the night began to take over.

He could finally stop running.

“Oh honey, no!” Cass yelled. “Don’t, don’t, don’t!” Tadashi’s eyes could barely stay open. His aunt struggled to push him upright. “Don’t call it quits just yet,” she ordered. “Let’s make sure you’re okay first.” Tadashi stood up, collecting himself. He rubbed the tiredness from his face.

“Baymax already checked him,” Hiro said. “Nothing serious.” Tadashi looked down at him. _‘Nothing serious.’_ They just fell out of the sky. If anything was ‘serious,’ it was the pure terror and confusion that was plastered on Cass’ face.

The bruises and scratches were worse than he thought. She looked at each one, counting the number of times she could've done something differently. Cass let out a squeak before the gross, snot-filled cries resurfaced. 

“You know what?” she asked groggily, “Questions in the morning. It’s late, it’s Tuesday, we haven’t eaten a proper dinner, YOU were supposed to be home several hours ago, I…just! Questions in the morning!” Cass let out confused half-screams as she made her way up the stairwell. 

The awkward silence between Hiro and his brother now filled the room with an uneasy feeling. Tadashi rubbed his eyes again, the silence growing. 

“Did you, uh, keep my side of the room the same?”

Hiro blinked. “You’re…” The phrase, ‘unbelievable’ was on the edge of his tongue but Cass was right; it was late. What _was_ he supposed to say? Hiro sighed, “Yeah. It’s the same.”

Tadashi looked up the stairs and back down at the shattered plate. He stepped over the shards with his eyes closed. Bed or no bed, he needed to lay down. He held onto the railing as Hiro followed behind him. 

Tadashi glanced up again. Countless steps stood between him and a full night of sleep. He pushed himself to keep going. Step after step led nowhere.

He couldn’t take the exhaustion anymore. New goal: the couch on the second floor. 

Cass brought extra blankets and a broom. Yet those things fell to the ground too when she heard Hiro cry for help.

Tadashi’s eyelids were half-closed before he heard Aunt Cass say something.

“No, no, no, no, no! Don’t go to sleep yet! Come on, just a couple more steps!” Tadashi straightened up.

“M’sorry,” he said. Hiro grunted as he looped one of Tadashi’s arms around his shoulders. Cass did the same. 

“Don’t be,” she grunted. “We’re gonna get you to bed.” They hauled him up the stairs and into the attic.

The third floor was eerily the same. Hiro’s side of the third floor was still a mess. Blueprints, notebook papers, and SFIT memorabilia now littered across the floor. 

More memories flashed in his mind. Hiro’s snow machine, the nanobot fiasco, everything. He spent the majority of his life in that tiny room. Seeing his things untouched was disorienting.

All three of them stumbled towards his bed and dropped him down.

Hiro gagged as he threw Tadashi’s shoulder off and tugged on his ruined jacket. The burn marks and trash residue wasn’t exactly a recipe for clean smelling-anything. “Did, did you burn this?” Hiro asked. Tadashi pulled the sweater back. 

“Hiro, not now. This is not the time,” Aunt Cass said. He scoffed, and moped to his side of the room.

Tadashi wasn't sure what he was supposed to expect when he came home. The awkward silence definitely was not what he wanted. Yet Aunt Cass' mechanical reaction to take care of everything helped as she helped him retire for the night. 

A folded pair of clothes landed in his hands as she unfolded the bedsheets. He could take a shower. He could clean up and pretend the worst never happened. Tadashi could move forward despite his pyrokinesis threatening to ruin everything. 

He looked down at the pajamas. His old shirt and flannel pants were still the same. He thumbed the seam of the shirt’s collar and remembered reading one of his many books. It was like he never left. Too many memories were flooding back at once.

Cass tuned into his silence. “Sweetie?” Tadashi glanced up before trying to fumble out a response.

“I, uh, was just thinking. I’m... gonna take a shower.” He turned to go down the stairs to the bathroom and stopped. The thousands of stairs standing between him and a full night proved too difficult. “On second thought, I’d like to just go to bed. Thanks, Aunt Cass.” A sad smile crossed her face. She gave him another bear hug, this time more gently.

“I’ll let you get situated.” Cass slowly maneuvered towards Hiro’s side before turning back. She held the shoji’s wooden lining as she looked at him. “We’re happy you’re home, Tadashi. We’ll talk in the morning.” 

Cass faced Hiro, who was sitting on the side of his bed with his arms crossed, shaking his leg uncontrollably. “And you,” she said, “get some sleep.” She kissed his head and bent down to whisper in his ear, “Are you sure you’ll be okay up here?” That was almost an insult. Of course, he would be okay. The stranger on the other side of the room was his brother. _That_ stranger was the same person who helped him with school projects, and gave him confidence... and came back two years too late. 

Hiro nodded as he tried to stop shaking. She looked him up and down. “And you’re sure you don’t want the futon?”

“I’m fine, Aunt Cass,” Hiro whispered. “Really.” She accepted his reply. Hiro wished she hadn’t, though. She helped him get his things together before heading downstairs. In seconds, the two of them were alone again. 

The paper-thin divider stood its ground. The sound of unfolding sheets and laundry piles growing added to the exhaustion. And soon, the room darkened. 

Tadashi laid in bed, in fresh clothes and unwashed hair as he stared at the ceiling. Falling asleep was easier several minutes ago. Now, he couldn’t keep his eyes shut. 

The giant clock on the wall ticked away against his will.

_Tick, tick, tick._

Hiro kept flipping around. The sound of sheets ruffling sounded off like an alarm.

Tadashi was back from the dead. He wasn’t even 10 feet away. Still, a worry ate at Hiro from the inside.

_Tick, tick, tick._

A nightmarish vision of him waking up to an empty room was tearing Hiro apart. Maybe he should check on him. But what if he was still awake? He didn’t have the stamina to hold a conversation. Not now.

_Tick, tick._

The clock refused to stop.

 _Tick._ It must have been an hour already. Tadashi rubbed his face as he laid awake. Apparently, he was simply supposed to go to sleep? Just another normal night, in a small room, and surrounded by a multitude of flammable objects. 

But this was so… wrong. He wasn’t supposed to be here. And out of all the nights, it had to be the one where he couldn’t contain himself?

 _Tick._ He was fine with being shoved back into his small corner. Tadashi almost missed it. Yet his memory and reality were the same; fragmented. 

_Tick._ Things weren’t going to be the same. Hiro grew taller and Aunt Cass more tired. Plus, the aches in his side still lingered. They had to talk.

 _Tick._ Another sound and Tadashi was going to lose it. _Tick. Tick._

“That’s it!” He whispered as he dragged the comforter with him, “I’m going to the living room.”

Hiro sat straight up, “Wait!” Tadashi turned back, eyebrows furrowed.

“Yeah?” 

“Um, I, I can’t sleep either. Can, can I watch TV downstairs? I mean, if you are?” Tadashi thought about it. He couldn’t take the tension. He planned to stop staring at his old bedroom ceiling and attempt to fall asleep on the futon if they still had it. 

Maybe he wanted to escape the scrutiny or subconsciously wanted to give Hiro his space. Tadashi shook his head yes involuntarily.

Watching TV wasn’t their best option. It was worth trying, though.

Even if he planned to run, it was a terrible idea to go looking for cover so late at night. Especially, if he was exhausted. 

Hiro grabbed a pillow and blanket and trailed behind. 

The darkness of the house slowly faded as the boys came across Cass watching a late-night, true-crime show on the couch. Tadashi cleared his throat from the stairwell. 

Cass shot up, “Boys! Did I wake you up?” 

“No,” Hiro said. “Couldn’t sleep.” He walked over to the recliner and plopped down with the sheets. He didn’t dare to look over at Cass. She scooted over to make room on the couch for her oldest nephew. 

Tadashi laid out his things neatly and made sure his aunt had enough space so it wasn’t awkward. Or, he at least attempted to avoid the awkwardness. The TV continued to blare.

“...only for 19.99! Free shipping! And if you order now...” Hiro tried to look over at the couch without looking suspicious. Tadashi knew Hiro was looking at him. There wasn’t any way to mend the situation. Somehow moving to the sofa was worse. 

“Up next: the story of James Sturges, an 11-year-old boy who returned home decades after his disappearance,” Tadashi cringed. Any other channel would be better. “Stay tuned to hear how his mother and immediate family made sense-!” Cass flipped the channel. A black and white film of a monster destroying the city flickered on as she glanced at Tadashi.

Worry was written all over his face as he shrunk in on himself. His eyebrows furrowed. His hand was on the back of his neck. And, Tadashi was dying to go to sleep. The clock struck 1 A.M. Cass stood up from the couch, both boys shooting her a glance. 

“Do you want to talk about it now?” she asked. 

“Um,” came from Tadashi, “I don’t know how to explain.” She hushed him before he could break into a spiel. 

“We’ll talk about it. After you get some rest.” Cass stroked his hair and ignored the slick texture that came with it. She must have made a face.

“I’m sorry,” he said. Cass almost laughed.

“Don’t worry about us. We’ll figure this out. Together, okay?”

He kept his composure as she kissed his head and made her way to Hiro. “Goodnight, sweetheart. We’ll talk in the morning.” Hiro pleaded with his eyes for her to stay. 

Yet Cass sitting quietly at the couch’s edge was not going to help anyone. Not to mention the crick in her neck she would have by dawn. She turned the TV volume down before retreating to her room, leaving her door open. 

Hiro slumped in the recliner. No one was guarding the space between Tadashi and the front door. No one was stopping him from leaving. A noise came out of Hiro’s throat unwillingly. He cracked. 

Tadashi looked over at him as Hiro tried to look away. His little brother flipped from looking at the wall, to the counter, and then back to the TV. A glance towards the couch proved Tadashi was still looking.

Yet this time, his older brother had that look he used to give him when he was worried Hiro was about to do something stupid. 

“You still have a lot of questions,” Tadashi said. 

“Yeah. Are, um… are you planning to stay?” Realization dawned on his face. 

“What? No! I mean, yes! I’m, I’m not gonna just leave! Of course, I’m gonna stay.” Hiro relaxed a little, running his hands through his hair. “I… I had a reason for not coming home,” he continued. “Which, I’ll explain tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Hiro said. “Okay. That’s… that’s good to know.” Tadashi finally settled on the couch as he thought about what Hiro must be thinking. 

_How could he-?_ No, thinking about it wasn’t worth it anymore. His only job for the night was to fall asleep. 

Maybe the anger would reveal itself afterward. Out of all the ways to come home, this was easily becoming one of his least favorite outcomes. 

Tadashi slouched down enough that he was now looking up at the ceiling once more. The cramp in his side was dull. Tadashi could hold out just long enough to explain himself. The last thing he needed was to have an outburst.

“Like Cass said, in the morning. It’s… it’s a lot.” Panic rose in Hiro’s chest as the questions piled up for the third time that night. 

“I, uh, can respect that. I trust you. I just, just-”

“I know," Tadashi said. "There’s nothing that I can do that will make it better. I’ll explain everything. Tomorrow, I promise.” The boys watched the TV in silence, the tension no longer so overbearing. 

Whatever made Tadashi stay away was significant. A sick feeling was rooted in Hiro’s stomach. He trusted Tadashi. He knew his brother chose wisely. Making mistakes was not something Tadashi did. 

Hiro fell asleep first. The movie slowed down in pacing to follow a corrupted mayor subplot. Tadashi rolled over and blocked out the television. Black and white images of a monster destroying the city in a fiery uproar weren’t the most entertaining thing at the moment. 

His pain subdued as he drifted to sleep. Anything that was weighing in on his mind would be left for the morning. 

He was home. 

Tadashi would explain everything as best he could. Things would begin to turn for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are, in fact, not about to turn for the better. Y’all. Chaos confirmed.  
> 3,500+ words, guys. (*Screams in the drafts.*) Love it.
> 
> I did want to ask, though, what do you guys want to see in terms of story? I have a plan for this multi-chapter fic already laid out. But I definitely want to grow as a writer and understanding what you guys are looking for is always a fantastic addition. 
> 
> Anyway, I'm right there with y'all as the series comes to a close. Cheers to season 3.
> 
> See you guys March 7th!


	5. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The woods can be a bit strange. It takes a long time to feel you belong there and then you never again really belong in town.” - Jim Harrison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this a slow burn fic? (*squints at later chapters like ch. 9-13*) I think this is a slow burn fic! I guess since Tadashi has pyrokinesis now, then it truly is a slow BURN fic. See what I..., I- I'll let myself out.

Cass wasn’t a morning person. Yet 6:32 a.m. flashed across the digital clock on her dresser, practically dragging her out of bed involuntarily. The events of last night hit her like a train. She fumbled into her bathroom, the comforter falling to the ground. Her nephew just arrived at her doorstep less than 24 hours ago. 

Yet Tadashi didn’t look the part. His blackened hoodie and tattered jeans were terrifying reminders that the person sleeping on the couch and the person she remembered could be different versions of the surrogate son she knew. 

Still, Cass and Hiro could tell. It was him, definitely him. Tadashi was the same person and somehow not. The best thing she could do was not panic. She swashed mouthwash as she snagged a shirt and pants before heading towards the living room. 

Hiro was sitting upright in the recliner with his eyes closed. His face was contorted as if he was still thinking through his next move in his sleep. Tadashi’s back was turned away as she quietly made her way to her youngest.

“Good morning, sweetie,” Cass said as she shook Hiro awake. He opened his eyes as if he never went to bed. 

“Mmh, is h…?” He glanced at Tadashi, who was still asleep on the couch. Hiro anticipated waking up to an empty room. “Ugh, what time is it?”

“Early. But I figured you'd want to get ready first,” Cass said as she turned to glance back. Hiro nodded as he quietly walked towards the edge of the sofa. He eyed his brother, who looked like he hadn’t slept in months. Cass squeezed his shoulder, “Let him sleep. We’re gonna sit down. Together, remember?” 

Hiro grabbed his things from upstairs. A hairbrush, some fresh clothes, and a headache followed him back down the stairwell towards the café kitchen. He stood at the base of the stairs as his aunt pulled out ingredients for pancakes.

“I don’t know where to start,” he said. Cass turned around to see him still standing in his pajamas, clothes and brush piled onto the counter. She ruffled his hair before cupping the side of his face. 

“How about we start slow?” Hiro didn’t respond. “Look,” she said, “I know this is a lot to handle. It’s, it’s insane for all of us.”

“He stayed away. From us. From-”

“Stop that. Y’know, the best thing we could do is _not_ lose our heads.” Hiro looked away. He internalized her words and analyzed them as much as possible. She was right. Panic was never a good option. Superhero work taught him that already. 

“Can you, can you think of any reason he wouldn’t come home?” Hiro asked. The sound of pancake mix sizzling filled the silence.

“Well, you know how he is. He’s always trying to pick the right thing. I’m sure he’ll want to explain himself.” Cass had no idea how Tadashi would react. He might as well flip a table. For all she knew, her nephew could be a completely different person. Taking it easy on the questions was their best bet as of 7 in the morning. “Just be nice, be reasonable, and take it easy.” 

Hiro grabbed an energy drink from the fridge. He wandered upstairs into the bathroom. Question after question burst into his head. He needed to slow down. Okay, basics. He would start with the basics.

* * *

Panic filled Tadashi as he opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room. He was expecting an old motel room, maybe a stranger’s bed, and on his worst days, a warehouse with a roof several yards above him. The ceiling was familiar. His brain was still lagging. 

The living room he swore he would never see again surrounded him like some sort of cruel nightmare. He jack-knifed off the couch. Memories of last night came in bits and pieces. 

His brother… was a member of San Fransokyo’s Big Hero 6, including Baymax. Okay, he could rationalize that. Hiro was always somewhat reckless, and hero work was his outlet. He could be upset about it later. 

The move to the couch flashed in his mind. The TV was shut off, and the lights were on somewhere by the first-floor stairwell as far as he could tell by his spot near the couch.

He met Aunt Cass last night. And, it went better than he anticipated. Sure, she screamed after shattering one of her good plates, but that paled in comparison to the conversation that was waiting for him downstairs. 

Hiro’s blankets were still sitting in the recliner as Tadashi wandered upstairs. A wave of anxiety swept over him. His room was empty. The sound of pans clattering downstairs reminded him that this was happening. He was home. He was going to talk this out.

Unsure of what to do with half of the house to himself, Tadashi started getting ready. The giant robotics clock in their bedroom read 7:18. He could feel his lack of sleep weigh in on him. He rubbed his face, made his way towards his side of the attic, and swung open his closet. It looked emptier than he remembered. Boxes he never owned were tucked away in corners of the room. They were what he only assumed were his things that never made it to storage. 

He flipped through a few of his old t-shirts and occasionally cringed at his wardrobe. A few shirts with his favorite logos and robotics graphics made him smile and grimace simultaneously. His white shirt with the San Fransokyo’s Ninjas logo and black jeans would manage. 

He tried not to put more thought into it. He imagined Aunt Cass freezing in her steps, seeing him again in his old clothes. He pulled his worn-out sweatshirt from the hamper just in case. 

Tadashi rushed towards the bathroom on the second floor. The chance to be presentable after nearly two years of inexcusable behavior was beginning to consume him. He could do it. He could explain his pyrokinesis slowly. He would have patience and understanding and planned on detailing everything to the-

“Tadashi?” Hiro stood in the bathroom doorway, energy drink in hand.

“Hiro! I was just, uh, getting ready.” Hiro eyed him up and down. The shirt caught his attention, but he didn’t say anything. He only nodded.

“Uh-huh. Okay. Are you… gonna come downstairs for breakfast?” Tadashi let out a sigh of relief.

“Of course.” Hiro swiveled on his heel, watching his brother as he shut the bathroom door quietly. To be honest, he was expecting Hiro to be a mess. Yet after last night, Tadashi was sure he was drained just as much as he was. Hiro cried more than anyone else in their household. 

He was dealing with as much trauma as Tadashi experienced firsthand. Hiro’s lack of shock was justified. The bright yellow, fizzy drink in his brother’s hand reminded him of that. 

Now he had a chance to think in peace. Tadashi leaned over the bathroom sink. The door locked just in case. 

He needed to pull it together. If not for himself, at least for his family. It was Day 8 without intentionally using his pyrokinesis. His physiological timer was ticking. Day 4 was when he started to feel the ache throughout his body and the days afterward usually meant combusting against his will. 

Tadashi turned the shower-head on. Not now. He wasn’t going to end up in flames when he was home. The warm water forced him to relax as the dull pain eased itself out of his conscience. An opportunity to let go of some steam would come. For now, though, he was mentally preparing for the interview of a lifetime. 

He finished getting ready, taking one more look at his scars and bruises. It couldn’t be that bad, right? His face was the same aside from a few darker circles, faint red marks, and his overgrown hair. He was beginning to look like his little brother, who quite possibly, had not brushed his hair in years. 

The side stitch that acted as his pseudo-alarm was pink and scarred. A few bruises and scratches lined his torso from fights, falls, and late-night runs. It was the usual. The last thing he checked was his arms. Two-year-old red patches lined the outer sides as he slipped his shirt on. Aunt Cass and Hiro wouldn’t see it if he chose to wear the hoodie. 

Tadashi glanced at the door. He was going to be honest and upfront. No dodging questions. He gripped the doorknob and took a deep breath with the sweatshirt on standby. He was ready to face them. 

The clock struck 7:51 as Tadashi came down to a stack of freshly cooked pancakes. Aunt Cass finished off the last of the mix as Hiro simmered in his anxiety at the bar. 

“Good morning,” Cass said as she flipped a pancake over.

Tadashi looked at both of them cautiously, “Good morning.”

“That plate’s for you.” Tadashi looked at the stack of pancakes sitting near the edge of the bar. They were her famous dish except somewhat charred.

Hiro desperately wanted to say something witty, but his nervousness stopped him in his tracks. “Today’s going to be somewhat rough for all of us,” Cass said. “So, I wanted to start off with something nice.” 

Tadashi picked up his fork and looked at the plate. His appetite was non-existent. He wanted the conversation to be over with already. Maybe cooking them breakfast tomorrow would make a fair peace offering.

“Uh, thanks, Aunt Cass.” Hiro’s eyes widened at the pink soft spots lining his brother’s arms. 

“Are you okay?” Tadashi raised an eyebrow as Hiro pointed at his scars. 

“Oh, this? That’s from, well, y’know.” Hiro grimaced as Aunt Cass honed in. Tadashi shoved pancakes into his mouth awkwardly as Hiro turned to his plate. Eating was the last thing on his mind too. He was certain Aunt Cass was still cooking just to avoid scarfing food down. 

_And the quiet moments, why were they so unbearable? How was he even supposed to start their conversation?_ Hiro pushed the fruit topping off and went for the whipped cream. 

“Do you, uh, regret it?” Hiro asked. Tadashi choked on a piece of pancake.

“Hiro!” Aunt Cass said sternly.

“No! No! It’s okay!” Tadashi said. “Please, I want to get the hard part out of the way.” He pushed his fork around his plate and thought about his answer. Cass watched from the corner of her eye. “I regret what I did afterward. I just wanted to help. But, um, no.” Hiro nodded. “I kind of don’t remember what happened afterward,” he mumbled. Silence filled the cafe aside from the clatter of utensils and tupperware. 

Aunt Cass broke the tension, “Are you sure you’re okay, honey?”

Tadashi glanced up. “Uh-huh. I mean, I’m a little worn out. I’m really tired. But, I’m fine. I, uh, have to tell you something important. Just, give me some time to think it over? I’m trying to word it right.” Hiro turned at that. How much more time was that going to take? It took him nearly two years to come home and unwillingly at that. There was no way he needed more time to _think it over._ Two years was enough.

“What do you mean you need more time?” Hiro asked. 

Aunt Cass butted in, “Hiro, wait-”

“What could possibly need more time, Tadashi?” Hiro said as he swiveled in his chair to face his brother. 

“I said I would explain everything last night,” Tadashi pushed back. “I know I made the worst decision ever, but I’m figuring out how to explain everything, okay? You think I wanted to disappear off the face of the Earth?” Hiro rubbed his eyes. That burning feeling returned in his throat. 

He overcame his rage years ago. The last thing he wanted was to be upset at his not-so-deceased brother after his miraculous return. 

“I didn’t mean to. It’s just, this is rough, you know?” Hiro couldn’t say it; he needed Tadashi several times after he was declared dead. Instead of pushing, Hiro shoved more pancake pieces in his mouth. 

Both boys sank in their chairs. “Sorry,” Tadashi said, mentally berating himself over his words. “I didn’t mean it that way.” There was no easy way to fix the situation. And sometimes, Hiro’s grief came up in waves. He already accepted the worst outcome. Tadashi no longer was reduced down to his good deeds. 

But Hiro could deal with this. He could overcome it and would be stronger than before. He was working on forgiving his older brother instead of believing in his legacy... whatever that meant now. 

It still hurt, though.

“Okay, let’s start this conversation _slowly,_ ” Aunt Cass said as she took Hiro’s still-full plate. Tadashi agreed. He plastered a false grin onto his face as Cass made her way around the bar. “Let’s cover the basics,” she said as she ruffled Hiro’s hair. 

“Uh, what’s your name?” Hiro asked. His brother’s fake smile faltered. 

“Tadashi Hamada.” 

“And you are?” 

“Alive?” 

Hiro’s expression dropped. “I meant your age.” 

Tadashi leaned back in his chair and looked to Aunt Cass.

“Okay, no, stop,” she said as she pulled Hiro aside. Their heart-to-heart was plummeting towards disaster.

Cass was in the middle of a pep talk when Tadashi clutched his side. A sharp pang nearly sent him off his bar stool. He pushed the ache down. 

_Not now, not now, not now._

Tadashi shoved the pain away. _He had to explain himself first. Their discussion shouldn’t happen like this._ The ache nearly sent him into the fetal position. Cass didn’t notice until Hiro swiveled off his seat.

“Are you alright?” Hiro shouted over her shoulder. Tadashi was now standing up, using the bar stool as a crutch. 

“Sweetie!” Cass cried, “Are you okay?” Tadashi opened his mouth to reply. A yelp came out instead. “Hold on, okay! Hiro, get Baymax!” Hiro was already running up the stairs as Tadashi shot his arm out.

“Stay back! I-!” A pained holler came out of Tadashi as he retreated into one of the cafe chairs. Cass tried to reach out to him, but he jerked away. His aunt didn’t know what to do. She called for Hiro to hurry as Baymax stumbled his way down the stairs. The familiar robotic voice echoed throughout the room. 

“Hello, Tadashi. I am Bay-”

“Yeah, he knows! Scan him!” Hiro yelled. The robot took his time taking in new data.

“It appears you have suffered several epidermal abrasions, physiological alterations, and genetic mutations. Would you like to receive treatment for-”

“Yes,” they all said in unison. Hiro was hardly listening to the list of ailments. Baymax’s hands turned blue as Tadashi looked up at him.

“Wait, it that-?” Tadashi asked as the cool vinyl of the robot’s mesh caught him off-guard. Tadashi gritted his teeth. 

“You may feel a slight temperature shock as the cryogenic treatment begins. However, this will calm your involuntary spasms for about 2 to 4 hours.” A slight burning feeling settled in his side. His back arched as he suppressed the need to yell. He gripped Cass and Hiro’s arms as he pushed the pain down. 

They all watched as he hesitantly gave into the treatment and relaxed. _No fire, just... not now._

After a few seconds of Baymax’s treatment, Tadashi went limp. The robot backed away, hands still tinted blue. The pain in Tadashi’s side temporarily vanished as he sank in his chair. They hovered over him as he collected himself.

“Better?” Hiro asked, worry stricken across his face.

Tadashi nodded his head slowly, “Definitely. Sorry ‘bout that.” Hiro shook his head.

“You don’t have to apologize. I’m sorry. For the questions, I mean.” Tadashi offered him a genuine smile. Baymax stood back as they all helped him sit upright.

“Stress can induce the onset reaction of personal symptoms such as anxiety, a repeat in his involuntary muscle spasms, or combustion.”

Hiro looked confused, “Combustion?” He turned to his brother, who had a guilty look on his face. “What does he mean? Like, emotional outbursts?”

“I… I know what he means. That’s the thing I’m working on explaining.” The gears turned in Hiro’s head. The medical term ‘combustion’ wasn’t scientifically possible. Unless Baymax didn’t mean it in a literal sense. Emotional distress, that had to be it.

Cass’ phone alarm sounded, interrupting them. “It’s to wake you up for school,” she said deflated.

“What?!” Hiro said, “I can’t go to school today!” Cass looked between the two of them. 

“You’ve already missed several classes this semester,” she argued. “Some of which you weren’t even on campus.”

“But this is different! It’s a family emergency!” Cass knew her nephew had a point. She was almost about to tell him it was alright only to be cut off by Tadashi.

“Wait,” he said, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Hiro raised his eyebrows.

“What’re you talking about?”

Tadashi didn’t have an answer. He couldn’t just blurt out the fact he was stressed and feared burning down the house if he got overwhelmed. Going through introductions a second time was not in his plans. 

Yet the lightbulb flicked on in Cass’ head before his. 

“We need to get situated first,” she said.

Hiro’s jaw dropped, “Are you kidding me? You’re sending me off to school during one of the most stressful events of our lives?”

Cass shook her head, “I don’t think that’s what your brother is saying.” In her mind, Tadashi barely showed up several hours ago. “It just might be a bit of a shock if your friends see him, y’know, walking around. We have to figure this out.”

The pieces slowly clicked in Hiro’s head as they debated in silence. 

The gang would show up after school like always. If Hiro was missing, they would stop by to check on him. If Hiro didn’t give them a good reason, they would invite themselves inside the cafe despite the ‘CLOSED’ sign hanging in the front.

Hero work, his friends, and Baymax all functioned as his support system. Every situation ended with Tadashi being rediscovered before they had answers. They needed to straighten out their facts and keep up appearances while they decided how to handle his return.

“I’m not going to school,” Hiro protested. “That’s final.” 

Tadashi pushed himself out of his seat, “Then I can stay upstairs. Out of sight, out of mind.” He started walking towards the staircase only to tense up from the treatment. Tadashi gripped his side as he let out a gasp. Cass rushed to catch him as Hiro watched in horror.

“Okay! Okay!” Hiro finally added. “We can’t risk more people stressing you out. But, is this really the best-case scenario? We can’t just tell them?” 

Cass bit her lip. It was easier to come out and say it: Her nephew was alive and okay. Yet the wave of questions from reporters, friends, distant family members, and the surrounding community was too much to face on the first day. She wasn’t even sure what was happening was real.

“You can stay home,” Aunt Cass said. “But you’re responsible for keeping visitors out. Got it?”

“I can do that,” Hiro said. The upstairs was off-limits anyway. It wasn’t like he was missing anything. The only thing worth Hiro’s attention at school this week was... his never-ending schedule of exams. 

“Wait,” he said as he slammed his hand against his head. “It’s the end of the semester. I have finals. I- I can’t mess that up.” _Couldn’t he retake it?_ The syllabus criteria flashed in his head. Sure, he could send emails, but a handful of his professors were notorious for ignoring them when the emails were laced with his excuses. Granville was one of them. 

Skipping out of university wasn’t an option. Neither was leaving his brother’s side. “But, you’re going to be working in the cafe, Aunt Cass! Isn’t Tadashi gonna need help? He’s clearly not in the best shape.”

Baymax raised a finger, “Technically, my treatment lasts for several hours. Although I advise retrieving supplies to help aid in recovery, you have enough time to properly take an exam and return home early.” Hiro’s shoulders sank. 

“I’ll stay home,” Tadashi said. “I’m not really up for going out.” Cass gave him a doubtful look. 

She still needed inventory and groceries. She made appointments and set pick-up times for today. _Out of all the days she could have picked._ Maybe she could take Tadashi with her? Leaving him at home alone wasn’t an option. She was certain; she would close for the day regardless of the business hours printed on the window. 

And on top of the cafe’s shutdown, she now had a horde of college students to worry about having a cry fest sometime soon. Cass groaned. 

Tadashi interrupted her thoughts, “You guys go.” The doubt on her face morphed into a horrified glare. 

“No,” she said, “I’m not leaving you home alone.”

“Where am I gonna go, Aunt Cass?" Tadashi asked. "You know where I live.” Cass didn’t smile back. She mentally worked through the possibilities. Each one ended in some sort of crisis. 

“No. No way. I’m not leaving you by yourself, even by a technicality. Not after everything,” Cass said. Hiro scooted in.

“I’m not leaving either.” She snapped back in his direction.

“Oh no, mister. You’re _definitely_ going to school. We paid for tuition!”

“Come on! How accurate are tests, anyway?” he argued. “I can present my thesis, but staying in class is another problem. Half-day, tops.”

“Ugh,” Cass sighed, “Hiro, you can’t just…” _Skip. She knew how much Hiro skipped class._

 _Did Tadashi still care about school? Did he even remember it? Would it stress him out more knowing Hiro was somehow still getting himself in trouble?_ She pinched the bridge of her nose. 

Cass knew she couldn't keep Hiro from doing things his way. The amount of bad decisions they were making overwhelmed her.

“Maybe getting out of the house will give you some space to think?” Tadashi said, hand on the back of his neck. Cass narrowed her eyes. “What do you think is gonna happen?”

Her anger melted into grief. She sighed, “Maybe we’re just a little afraid of losing you again, honey.” Cass grabbed her phone, to-do list, and car keys. “I can’t believe I’m doing this,” she whispered under her breath. “If you need anything, you still know what number to call, right?”

“I’ll be here,” Tadashi said. “And we’ll be okay. I’m not gonna leave you, I promise.” Cass turned on her heel and yanked him into a hug. 

“I know,” she said. Cass let go hesitantly. A gross, hollow feeling filled her as she looked back at him. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“I’m sure. Don’t worry about me.” Cass steeled herself as she made her way towards the door. 

“If you’re not home when I come back, you’re in so much trouble.”

“Love you too, Aunt Cass. I promise.” Hiro nearly body-slammed Tadashi with his hug.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Hiro said. 

“Like what? Commit crimes? That’s not on the list.” Hiro punched his arm and remembered Tadashi's scars after the fact. He rushed to the door in embarrassment, Baymax trailing behind. The front door chime rang as Aunt Cass locked up the shop with a sad look on her face. The click of her keys made it official.

The house went quiet. Tadashi at least had time to elaborate on what to say. And he would be true to his word; he would be stuck at home all day. Now there was time to think. 

It was still Day 8 and... Baymax left with Hiro. Aches the cryogenic treatment left behind lingered. 

2 to 4 hours was all he had before his pyrokinesis flooded back. Tadashi was trapped inside the café with himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Tadashi’s pyrokinesis a metaphor for anxiety? (*sips tea loudly.*) Possibly.
> 
> In this essay, I will show how Tadashi Hamada builds others up while he destroys his life with the same recklessness his little brother now possesses. Y’know, for fun.
> 
> Also, I was editing the end of the chapter and was stressing about whether it would be too much of a stretch that Cass would leave Tadashi home alone. But then, I was like, this is a story about superheroes and flying robots. Like, I'll suspend my disbelief, just for a little bit.
> 
> Really, this is just a love letter to some random characters I looked up to as a kid. Again, thank you guys again for the comments and kudos. I'm so happy to see y'all are enjoying it! It's the highlight to my week. The future is very promising regardless of what’s waiting for the Hamadas in later chapters. And we'll get to the main reveal soon.
> 
> Angst with a happy ending, y’all. See you March 21.


End file.
